Synthesis

One way to make sodium fluoride is to react the hydroxide with hydrofluoric acid. The resulting salt can then be purified by recrystallization.

NaOH(aq) + HF(aq) → NaF(aq) + H2O(l)

While not a normal route of preparation because of the expense, sodium metal reacts vigorously with all the halogens to form sodium halides. So, it burns with fluorine, F2, to form sodium(I) fluoride, NaF.

2Na(s) + F2(g) → 2NaF(s)

Solid state structure

Geometry of sodium: 6 coordinate: octahedral

Prototypical structure: NaCl (rock salt)

Element analysis

The table shows element percentages for NaF (sodium fluoride).

Element

%

F

45.25

Na

54.75

Isotope pattern for NaF

The chart below shows the calculated isotope pattern for the formula NaF with the most intense ion set to 100%.

References

The data on these compounds pages are assembled and adapted from the primary literature and several other sources including the following.